Portable communication devices such as, for example, cell-phones, typically have an antennae connected to a transceiver. The antennae may be used by the transceiver to both transmit and receive radio frequency (RF) signals. The portable communication device typically includes field effect transistors (FETs) that are used to connect/disconnect the transmit and receive paths from the antennae at the appropriate time. However, the FETs are not perfect switches. During transmission mode, the FETs may result in some signal loss and during isolation mode the FETs may result in some unwanted signal coupling. As a result, the transmission power level is increased to compensate for the FETs, which, in turn, may result in a higher power consumption/lower battery life for the portable communication device. Similarly, while in receive mode, the FETs may undesirably attenuate the received signal, which, in turn, may involve additional received signal amplifiers and increased power consumption with the associated issues.
Thus, there is a continuing need for better ways to reduce the power consumption of FETs associated with connecting a transceiver to an antennae in a portable communication device.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements illustrated in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements are exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity.